Welcome to another edition of Old School Thursday.

Earlier this month we lost another Gospel Music great Bishop Walter Hawkins!

Bishop Hawkins passed away on July 11th after a bout with pancreatic cancer. Hawkins career included singing with his brother’s in the Northern California State Youth Choir, later he formed a group with his brother Edwin and founded The Edwin Hawkins Singer. Through this group Hawkins became world known with their hit song “Oh Happy Day”.  In the early 1970s Hawkins left the group and became the Pastor of Love Center Church in Oakland, CA which he founded. There he started a Choir which received lots of love with well over a million copies sold from the 70s until the 90s in their  “Love Alive”  series! Bishop Hawkins also produced and collaborated on over 100 hit songs including recording with Diahanna Carroll, Sylvester and Jeffrey Osborne.

In honor of Bishop Hawkins I’d like to feature five of my old time fav old school Gospel tunes.

Tramaine Hawkins – Going Up Yonder

Timothy Wright concert Choir – Let Us All Go Back

Walter Hawkins – When the Battle is Over

The Carvans featuring Shirley Caesar – I Won’t Be Back

Aretha Franklin – Precious Lord

Hope you enjoyed that.

Until next time…
Keep Jammin!

It’s Tuesday and I feel the need to share some ‘new’ music with you. In actuality the music I’ll be sharing here isn’t new as in newly released music but I’m hoping  it will be a new type of music. A genre or artist that you’ve never heard of that I believe you the B.O.N.E. Chronicles reader might find interesting.

Today’s new music is from the Rebirth Brass Bandwhich consists of 9 members; 2 drummers (Keith Frazier & Derrick Tabb), 2 trumpet players (Derrick Shezbie & Glen Andrews), 2 trombone players (Corey Henry & Stafford Agee), 2 Saxophone players (Vincent Broussard & Byron (Flee) Bernard and a Tuba player (Phil Fraizer) who is the band leader.

The Rebirth Brass Band is a New Orleans band that began in 1982 founded by brothers Philip & Keith Frazier and Kermit Ruffins. The band was comprised of friends from their H.S. marching band in the Treme neighborhood of NOLA. Rebirth was discovered at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival they same year they formed and went on to record their first studio album in 1984. Rebirth is known for combining traditional New Orleans brass band music with funk, jazz, soul and hip hop influences. Rebirth’s discography includes 14 albums between 1984 and 2008.

Check out this video and become a Rebirth fan just like me!

Until next time…
Keep Jammin!

The world over knows that Motown was the #1 African American owned music label; but do you know who the second in line was?

Philadelphia International Records, created by Keenth Gamble and Leon A. Huff. The dynamic duo were the hottest independent R&B producing team of the late 1960’s working with artists such as Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin & The Intruders. Once they created PIR and secured a distribution deal with Clive Davis then President of CBS; within a year PIR was home to the #1 R&B and pop chart hit makers The O’Jays with hits like Back Stabbers and Love Train.

Gamble and Huff are the creative minds behind the original long-running theme song for Soul Train with MFSB featuring The Three Degrees, and are responsible for many hits by Teddy Pendegrass, Lou Rawls and Phyllis Hyman just to name a few. Gamble and Huff were the creators of the The Sound Of Philidelphia better known as T.S.O.P.

During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Gamble and Huff continued to write Top 10 hits for Teddy Pendergrass, the O’Jays and the Jones Girls. They produced million-selling hits for McFadden and Whitehead, Pattie LaBelle and Phyllis Hyman. They also saw many of their compositions become big hits for other artists. As the Hip Hop game became more and more mainstream and the use of samples was a big hit Gamble and Huff songs were sampled by artists such as; Heavy D and the Boyz’ (“Now That We’ve Found Love”), Nas (“I Remember,” using the melody from “Cowboys to Girls”)  and Big Punisher (“I’m Not A Player”) . Current R&B artists have used the T.S.O.P. to make their albums hot as well. producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Babyface and of course Diddy have used samples of their music.

After writing or co-writing 3,000 songs,  Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff were inducted into National Academy of Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995, they were awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 1999 which honors Gamble and Huff for their body of work, both as producers and songwriters, and their contribution to the entire fabric of popular music.

Gamble and Huff today’s Artist Spotlight.

Until next time…

Keep Jammin!

*Excepts taken from www.gamble-huffmusic.com

Welcome to another Old Skool Thursday. Today I’d like to take you back… way back… back into time.

Back to a time when television was about creative writing and funny sitcoms, not reality stories that aren’t at all real! A time when everyone knew the theme song and sat down to listen to it.

Here are five that I love and think are creative and  good enough to listen too without watching the show!

Gimme A Break

Barney Miller

Hill Street Blues

Fat Albert

Cheers

Hope you enjoyed this little journey with me.

Until next time…

Keep Jammin!

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while but I’ve been busy enjoying some good music with Stix Bones!

Today’s post is about the Paradise Theater in Bronx, NY. Stix Bones and the BONE Squad are currently the opening musicians at the Paradise playing for concert goers as they wait for the theater doors to open. A very ingenious idea developed by the folks with On The Rocks Entertainment.

The BONE Squad has performed for the fans of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Kelly Price, Deborah Cox and Tamia with the Queen Project, Jaheim, The O’Jays, Keith Sweat and Ron Isley just to name a few. In the coming weeks Stix and the BONE squad will hold court for the fans of Cedric the Entertainer. Pretty nice gig don’t you think?

I share this information because the Paradise Theater is beautiful and if ever you are in NYC you should add a concert there to your itinerary.

Here is a bit about the Paradise Theater:

The Paradise theater originally opened on September 7, 1929 with Warner Oland in The Mysterious Dr. Fun Manchu on the screen.  The 23rd largest movie theater ever to be built in the USA was one of the last ‘Atmospheric’ style theaters built.  This breathtaking theater features Greco-Roman statuary and marble columns line gilded walls crowded with murals of winged cherubs and cloud-bound figures reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel. A wide marble staircase worthy of a luxury hotel curves up to the balcony and chandeliers twinkle over the lobby. The ambiance is beyond the imagination!  We have a crown jewel right here in the Bronx!

The Paradise Theater is 80 years old and seats 3,785 is a registered landmark building for both the façade and interior is under new ownership and is managed by Derrick Sanders and Shelby Joyner of On the Rocks Entertainment, Inc.   Mr. Sanders and Mr. Joyner have over 13 years of experience in the entertainment industry, and will breathe new life to this historic landmark, while committing to the preservation of the magnificent art décor that dwells within the theater.   While enjoying an event at the Paradise Theater, each person will have the ultimate guest experience, with an array of diversified events that will exceed their overall expectations when they come to the theater. There will be events at the Paradise Theater that will reflect the diversity of not only the Bronx, but all of New York. The Paradise Theater reopening will help with the economic revitalization of the community by providing jobs to residents.  It is the goal of the new management team to partner with the residents and community leaders.

Until next time…

Keep Jammin!

Welcome to the first edition of Old Skool Thursday’s! On this lovely day I’ll prep you with weekend smiles by featuring three Old Skool songs that have provided me with many days of happiness and found memories.

The first three to set off this series are really old skool as they are from my childhood. Enjoy and sing along!

Owl Jolson

Uncle Paco

Tom Cat

Until next time…
Keep Jammin!

It’s been a while but here is a brand new Musical Dads edition.
This one is hot off the presses with my dear friend, B.O.N.E Ent. favoriate and Musical Dad: Dan Freeman.

Dan is the proud Papa of two beautiful children Parker and Delia, husband to the wonderfully talented Natalie and leader of the two man group Comandonte Zero. CO as they are also known is a Brooklyn based bass/drum electro-funk duo consisting of Dan who is the bassist/vocalist and Ken White who is the drummer/producer/choreographer. Comandonte Zero can be seen performing all over NYC be sure to check their site often; it’s a show worth catching!

MrsDeveter: Dan thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me. Since I know you are limited on time I’ll just ask you a couple quick questions so we can take a glimpse into the day in the life of a Musical Dad. Can you give us an example of a typical day for you as a musical dad?

Dan: I wake up at 8:30 and take Parker to school. Then I work out and take Delia to school at about 10:00 (If she has it that day) Otherwise, I usually spend time with her in the mornings. Generally, I’m home until about 12-1 then go to a local cafe to just work on business stuff. (e-mails, booking etc.) At 3 I either go rehearse, write in the studio or teach. When teaching gets busy, I have to teach from 4 until past ten. If I’m not teaching, I come home at about 7:30, have dinner and put the kids to bed. Then, I’ll either go to a gig (if there’s one) go to the studio or catch a show. Usually I go to bed at 2:30AM.

MrsDeveter: So you typically get about 4-6 hours of sleep a night huh? Sheesh. How do you balance all the hats you wear? Dad, Husband, Musician etc.?

Dan: This is probably the hardest thing about being a musical dad. In the past couple of years, Natalie hasn’t worked as much as before, so I also have to figure out how to keep the funds coming in too. It’s hard to strike a perfect balance – stop practicing and just make money, and your art and soul suffer. Only practice and don’t hustle and you don’t eat.

MrsDeveter: I know exactly what you mean. No work no food… the babies aren’t trying to hear that! What is the most difficult and then the best thing about being a Musical Dad?

Dan: Again – the uncertainty of the hours and income is the most difficult. The best is that I get to do something I truly love and am excited about. This love is something I want to give to them. It doesn’t matter what they do, as far as I’m concerned, as long as it’s a passion that’s based on love and the desire to create something good, whether it’s a business, a dance, a sculpture etc. Also, they get to grow up around cool, different people which hopefully will give them a very open mind. Music’s amazing in that all kinds of folks work together to make it happen.

Thanks so much Dan for giving us a glimpse your life. It is EXCITING and jam packed!

Hope you enjoyed this edition of Musical Dads.

Until next time…
Keep Jammin!

Summer is FINALLY here…. and summer music is one of my favorites. Sitting near someones pool waiting for my burger to grill is the ultimate summer thrill. Along with the food and the pool there must be music. Here is my top 5 list of summertime favorites. Hope you enjoy.

Summertime by Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff

Summer Madness Kool & The Gang

Good Times by Chic

Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now by Mcfadden and Whitehead

Don’t Stop the Music by Yarbrough & Peoples

I hope you are enjoying a musical Summer!

Until next time…
Keep Jammin!

Hey Folks:

Thanks to my very dear friend Ms. KO, last night I was comped tickets to BAM – The Brooklyn Academy of Music – to see Alvin Ailey; and honey I am still speechless. The show was fabulous! The music, the movement and the MEN! Honey these beautiful black people had it going on!

I really hope you had a chance to take a look at the video I posted just to get a taste of the choreography of the great Alvin Ailey.

The video I posted is a dance that is a part of the Revelations collection which is laced with the beautiful sounds of spiritual hymns and songs. Songs like, Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel and Fix Me Jesus, Take Me To The Water and the classic Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham. Each dance was awe inspiring and breathtaking… I sat on the edge of my seat the entire night! BAM is a beautiful theater and the perfect setting for this Dance Company to perform.

The program began with five modern dances that were phenomenal, the women in the show were absolutely gorgeous and 100% African American with hips and curves to prove it. The men, chile the men were exceptionally fit (that was tame enough right?) their bodies were well oiled machines (literally) picking up women and tossing them around. Made me want to jump on stage and do a grande plie! My very cultured friend and I had the time of our lives looking at the fabulous eye candy… I mean look at the picture to your left! Need I say more?

The music in the modern set featured Nina Simone and Duke Ellington, dance tributes to Zora Neal Hurston, W.E.B. DuBois and Langston Huges. The Welcome to Harlem set made it feel like Black History Month in that theater. I’m  so glad I was a witness to this show during Black Music month instead!

What a wonderful tapestry of talent we African American’s are!

Just in case you’ve never heard of him here is a bit of information on Mr. Ailey and his dance company.

Alivn Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the preception of American dance. The Ailey company was gone on to perfrom for an estimated 23 Million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including tow historic residencies in South Africa. In 2008, the US Congress designated the Company as “a vital American cultural ambassador to the world,” promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage.

Born in Rogers, Texas on January 5, 1931, Alvin Ailey was introduced to dance by performances of Katherine Dunham Dance Company and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. His formal dance training began with an intoducton to Lester Horton’s classes by his friend, Carmen de Lavallade.

When Mr. Ailey began creating dances, he drew upon his “blood memories” of Texas, the blues, spirituals and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work – Revelations.

Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Alvin Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. Today, the Company continues Mr. Ailey’s mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones. In all, more than 200 works by over 80 choreographers are part of the Ailey company’s repertoire.

Before his untimely death in 1989, Alvin Ailey asked Judith Jamison to become Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Remaining committed to furthering Alvin Ailey’s legacy, she brought the Company to unprecedented success.

Until next time…

Keep Jammin!

It’s Black Music Month, here are a few of my favorite Black Music Movies. If you haven’t seen them go find them online or rent them from Netflix!

Mo’ Better Blues

DreamGirls

The Wiz

Beat Street

Mahogany

Until next time…
PEACE!